craig



UNITE STATES] PATENT QFFIC WILLIAM S. CRAIG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK G.

' LIBKE AND DIETRICH I-I. BRUNJES, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR LABELING CANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iletters ZPatent No. 605,858, dated June21, 1898.

Applicationfiled May 7,1895. seriunmtratoe. (N model.)

To all whom, it may concern: Be it known that LWILLIAM S. CRAIG, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,

- in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Machines forLabeling Cans, which is fully set forth in the following specification,reference being had to the accom panying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa side elevation of my machine. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal sectionof the left-hand portion of Fig.1. Fig.' '3 is a plan of the tracks andrevolving mechanism shown in section in Fig. 2. Fig. at is a plan of thepaste-box at the upper end of the machine. Fig. is averticallongitudinal section of the said paste-box- Fig. ,6 is an enlargeddetail elevation of the locking and releasing mechanism at the upper endof the machine. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are detail views, the last in plan,

.of parts of the said mechanism. Fig. is a longitudinal verticalisectionof the labelholder and adjacent devices. Fig. 11 is a verticalcross-section of said label-holder. Fig. 12 is a vertical section of thepaste-rollers shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 10. Fig. 13 is a planof the power-supplying device and rolls near the centerofthe machine.

The object of my invention is to make a machine in which the cans areautomatically labeled as they pass through the same.

My invention consists in the mechanisms and combination of mechanismshereinafter fully described and made the subject-matter of the claimshereof.

In the accompanying drawings, A repre-' sents the mainframe of mymachine, which is composed of two side pieces A A supported at asuitable incline upon the'legs O C and 0 0 respectively, of which legsonly C and C are shown. The side pieces A and A are held at the desireddistance apart by crossrods 0, upon which they are adjustable laterallyby'means of screw-threads and nuts or other suitable devices to givethem the desired distance apart to receive the cans which are beinglabeled. On the inside of these side pieces I place tracks B and B uponwhich the ends of the cans rest'as they roll down the incline in theoperation of labeling them.

Near the upper end of my machine I place a paste-box D, adj ustablysupported upon uprights D D the said paste-box being provided with avalve mechanism consisting of the tube D plug D anddownwardly-projecting part D to operate the said plug upon the passageof the can and permit the outflow of paste through the port in thebottom of the paste-box. Under this paste-box and extending somedistance downward between the side pieces A A of the machine I place aflexible pad D, so arranged between the tracks that the can as it rollsalong the track will come.

in contact with the pad. The paste-box D is adjusted to such height thatwhen the can is placed on the tracks at the upper end of the machine inrollingdownward it will hit against the part D and raise it suflicientlyto allow the paste to pass out of the valve and flow upon the centralportion of the outside of the can, and as the can passes the valve itwill spread thepaste upon the pad, and

the entireLsurface'of-the can between the tracks-upon which the ends ofthe can rest becomes covered with thepaste. When the can has passed downover the pad, it drops from the track upon one end of the labels in abox full of labels, as is clearly shown in the case of the can X inFig.10 of the drawings.

The can is held in this position by a locking deviceconsisting of twoarms E E pivoted upon opposite sides of the frame upon the pivot E of across-rod E mounted in slots 6 e at the upper ends of said arms E Erespectively, the said cross-rod E being retained in a yielding positionwithin said slots by the springs e 6 adjustably mounted in the saidslot, and of arms E E pivoted to the upper ends of E E respectively,their remaining ends being connected by a second cross-rod E parallel tobut in a different plane from E The arm E is connected with the sidepiece A of the machine bya connecting-rod E pivoted at one end to thesaid arm E and at its other end to the said side piece at E is pivotedone'end of the rod F at F. The other end of the said rod F is pivoted tothe crank-arm F keyed upon the rock-shaft F which extends across betweenthe tracks of To the lower end of the arm E rigid with G,

. said label-holder.

the machine at a point near the lower end thereof, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, the said rock-shaft carryin a trip F, which projects upward inthe pathway of the cans. Upon a can passing down the track at this pointit will depress the trip F and so through the rod F throw the lockingdevice hereinafter described into the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 6. By this movement the can X is allowed to pass downward, whilethe cross-rod E", pressing against the can X prevents that can and thosebehind it from following the can X. The spring F now acts upon thecrank-arm F to restore it and through it the locking device to normalposition, as shown in fulllines. Thereupon the cans X &e., roll downinto the position previously occupied by X, &c., where they are checkedand retained by the somewhat yielding resistance of the cross-rod E"until the next unlocking operation of the locking device.

The label-holder consists of a bottom plate G, held in position by sidepieces g" g. To this bottom plate is pivoted a follower consisting of atop piece G, two set-screws g g giving the bottom of the label-holder Gthe proper inclination, and of a post G mounted in a guide-tube Gdepending from the supports 9 9", the upper end of the said postbeingthe lower end being provided with a ratchet upon which operates the pawlAn upward tendency is given to the post G bya chain or cord attached tothe lower end of said post, passing over a pulley g and the cam orpulley G", to which is attached a weighted lever G, the said cam andweighted lever being pivotally mounted in the depending supports G. Thelabel,- holder is prevented from rising beyond its proper position withreference to the tracks by the stop-roll ll, bearing against the lowerend of the top label of the labels G in the A secondary paste-box II issuitably supported adjacent to the lower end of the label-holder, thesaid paste-box carrying a paste-roll H and a distributingroll 11*,contacting with the stop-roll H.

An adjustable plate ll is mounted upon the downward projection II of thepaste-box, the upper edge of the said plate II being caused to pressagainst the roll II by means of the spring 11.. To one end of thestop-roll ll is secured a ratchet-wheel ll. A red I, adjustably pivotedat one end at l to the arm E of the locking mechanism, is forked at itslower end, the two branches I and I of the said fork carrying each atooth engaging with the ratchet-wheel ll". As the arm E periodicallyvibrates in the releasing of sueces sive cans, a reciprocating motion isgiven to the rod I, which is transformed by the fork and ratchet-wheeldevice shown into a rotary motion from left to right on a part of thestop-roll ll, whereby paste is spread upon the lower end of each labelwhere that label is to overlap its other end when rolled upon the can.The plate II prevents the label from being drawn in between the rolls bythe movement of the roller 11.

Upon the sides A A of the frame at a point toward the lower end of thelabel-holder are mounted two uprights K and K, carrying a shaft K uponwhich shaft are mounted upon opposite ends thereof the pulleys K and Kand between the said pulleys the roller K Motion is imparted to the saidshaft by a belt K upon the pulley K". The roller K carries an endlessbelt K which passes over the roller K", mounted in the slots K of theuprights L L farther down the machine. The pulley K carries a belt Kwhereby its motion is imparted to the pulley M, later to be described.Pivoted to the uprights K K are the arms K carrying at their end theidle pulley or roller K", which is adapted to press against the lowerside of the belt K to insure its contact with the upper surface of thecans as they roll down the machine. A spring K may connect the arm Kwith the upright K to increase this effect of the idle-pulley K". Themotion of this belt is such as to carry the cans in the direction oftheir travel down the machine, and the effect of the belt is to pressagainst the label and lay it smoothly and evenly upon the can.

The uprights L L, above referred to as carrying the roller K in theslots K are vertically adjustable upon the sides of the frame in orderto adapt the height of the belt K to cans of different sizes. To thesaid uprights L L are pivoted two arms N N, in which is mounted a shaftcarrying upon its outer end the pulley U, driven by a belt M whichderives its motion from the pulley M, which revolves with the pulley M,driven by the belt K hereinafter referred to. Between the arms N N ismounted the roller N upon the shaft driven by the pulley N. Toward theend of the said arms N N is attached a brush N. A spring may be attachedto the arm N and the upright l to support the said arm and the mechanismit bears when there is no can present.

Upon the shaft M are mounted the pulleys M and M, above referred to, theformer of which communicates motion to the shaft and so revolves therollers Diand M, also mounted upon the said shaft near the sides A A 01.the frame and below the ends of the tracks 13 and 13 respectively, theirupper surfaces forming, so to speak, a continuation of the said tracks,which are here interrupted. The said tracks are continued again as thetwo branches I) Z1 contract toward the center of the path of the cans.Farther down the machine they retake their previous position, at tachedto the sides of the framework thereof, as 13 ll.

To the branches Z) Z1 are pivoted the arms 0 0 carrying the stop-rollerso n at their outer end and connected by a cross-rod O, which projectsthrough the slots 0 in the sides of the frame. In the pathway of thecans, underneath the belt K is placed a trip I carried by a rock-shaftP, which bears a crank-arm P at its outer end. This trip is retained inits normal upright position by the spring P attached to the frameworkand to the crank-arm P crank-arm P with the arm P pivoted at P", theupper end of which arm P is adapted to support the rod 0 and so retainthe stop-rolls o 0" in their raised position. A spring 0 conmeets thearm 0 with the side of the frame A The operation of the mechanism lastabove described is as follows: When a can comes into the position X(shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) it is retained in that position by thestop-rolls .0 0 which are prevented from yielding to the downwardtendency of the can by the pivoted arm P bearing against andsupportingthe cross-rod O. The can is revolved in this position by the, rollers MM, and the effect of the roller N and the brush N is to press and smooththe label firmly upon the can while it is being revolved. As another canadvances down the track underneath the belt K it operates the trip P, bywhich the end of the arm P is withdrawn from its'position under thecross-rod O. The spring 0 yields as the stoprolls 0' o are depressed bythe weight of the can X whereby the said can is released and passes downthe track and'out of the machine. The spring 0 immediately raises againthe stop-rolls 0 0 to permit the end of the arm P to retake its positionas supporting the cross rodO, .which it does by virtue of the action ofthe spring P The stop-rolls are thus again -in position to retain thenext can.

From the above description it is apparent that my machine is simple inits construction and economical in its operation.

I claim 1. In a machine for labeling cans, the main frame of the machineprovided with inclined tracks down which the cans roll; a locking devicefor holding the unlabeled cans and releasing them one at a time to passdown the inclined tracks; comprising the yielding detent-rod E the rod Ewhich is swung into detaining position at each operation, and supportsfor said rods; a tripping device operated by a can rolling down thetracks, said tripping device itself operating the above locking device,substantially as described.

2. In a machine for labeling cans, the main frame of the machineprovided with inclined tracks down which the cans roll; a locking devicefor holding the unlabeled cans and releasing'them one at a time to passdown the inclined tracks; comprising the yielding de- 1 tent-rod E therod E which is swung into detaining position at each operation, andsupports for said rods; a tripping device comprising the trip F placedin the path of the rolling cans, the rock-shaft E crank-arm F and aconnection between the said crank-arm A rod I connects the and the saidlocking device, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for labeling cans, an escapement for single cansconsisting of pivoted arms carrying a cross-bar for checking thecans, aframe pivoted to the arms, and having means for engaging a can, a linkpivoted to said frame and to the machine-body, whereby movement of thearms in one direction will cause said frame to rise over the can, andmovement thereof in the opposite direction will cause said frame todescend between the cans, and means for oscillating said escapement.

at. In a machine for labeling cans, a locking device for holding theunlabeled cans and releasing them one at a time, consisting of one ormore pivoted arms E; one or more arms E and E pivoted thereto; the braceE and the cross-rods E and E substantially as described.

5. In a machine for labeling cans, a looking device for holding theunlabeled cans and releasing them one at a time, consisting of one ormore pivoted arms E; one or more arms E and El pivoted thereto; thebrace E and the cross-rods E and E; in combination with a trippingdevice adapted to operate the said locking device, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a machine for labeling cans, the rolls M and M placed in the pathof the cans and rotated by appropriate mechanism; a roller N yieldinglysupported above and rotated in the same direction as the rolls M and Mthe said rolls bearing against the bottom and the said roller againstthe top of a can which has received its label for pressing down andsmoothing the said label; a non-rotating brush bearing against the canand acting in conjunction with the roller N for the same purpose; andmovable stop-rolls for holding the can in position while it is rotatedduring the said smoothing, and for releasing it subsequently,substantially as described.

7. As an organized can-labeling apparatus,

a framework carrying. downwardly-inclined tracks, a paste-box forsupplying paste to the surface of the can, a locking device for holdingthe cans in place and releasing one can 'while the rest are so held, alabel-holder and labels,an endless belt mounted on revolving rollersabove the tracks for pressingthe label upon the can, a trip device inthe track of the can for operating the locking mechanism above, a tripdevice for operating the stoprolls hereinbelow mentioned, an upperroller for pressing the label upon the can as the said can: is revolved,lower rolls for so revolving the said can, and stop-rolls for holdingthe can in position during such operation, substantially as described.

IVILLIAM S. CRAIG.

